Mark Noble talks Norwich, Blackburn and a big end to the season ahead
West Ham United skipper Mark Noble says Saturday's 2-2 draw at Norwich City was the embodiment of the character needed for them to succeed over the final three months of the campaign.
After a draining extra time win at Liverpool in the week, they had to fight to come from 2-0 down at Carrow Road, with Noble himself grabbing a fine equaliser.
Now, with an FA Cup fifth round tie at Blackburn Rovers looming, plus league games against Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur, the Academy graduate is ready for a big end to the season.
When you talk about character and resilience, I guess that's the buzzword after Saturday at Norwich?
MN: "Yes, especially after the last couple of weeks we've had. We've had games Saturday-Tuesday, Saturday-Tuesday, and we obviously had the emotion of scoring in the last minute against Liverpool. That was 120 minutes of football which went to the wire and Norwich was an important game for us.
"We knew it was going to be tough, because they are fighting for points, but the way we came back and the belief we've got as a squad shone through. The subs we made had a huge impact and I thought we deserved a point in the end."
Victor Moses is a real impact player for you isn't he?
MN: "That's Victor. He's got that in him. When he and Andy Carroll came on they had that impact and he could have scored two goals himself. He was fantastic, he set up the first one with a great run and set up some vital chances for us.
"That's what we've got as a squad now, we've got the players to do that. The manager has players at his disposal to turn it around and as soon as they scored the second we really took the game to them."
Most people might have thought, 'they played 120 minutes on Tuesday, they're 2-0 down - they won't get back into it'...
MN: "We were 2-0 down, one a fantastic strike from Robbie Brady, but in the end we probably should have won it. The character and belief we have in the squad is fantastic."
You scored the equaliser - one of the best of your career?
MN: "Yes, probably. I was playing holding midfield at the time, but I saw the ball go forward and I saw Dimi on it. I know he's going to look for a pass, so I made the run, he rolled it across to the edge of the box and I just stuck it away. It was fantastic and gave us the foot up to go on and try to win the game."
After a week like this do you feel there's a bandwagon rolling for West Ham?
MN: "I hope so. There's the FA Cup game against Blackburn on Sunday, we've had a few days to rest after the couple of weeks we've had, and our league position allows us to go into the Cup game and give everything. It would be a fantastic thing for the Club to have a run in the FA Cup in the last season at Upton Park."
After a draining extra time win at Liverpool in the week, they had to fight to come from 2-0 down at Carrow Road, with Noble himself grabbing a fine equaliser.
Now, with an FA Cup fifth round tie at Blackburn Rovers looming, plus league games against Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur, the Academy graduate is ready for a big end to the season.
When you talk about character and resilience, I guess that's the buzzword after Saturday at Norwich?
MN: "Yes, especially after the last couple of weeks we've had. We've had games Saturday-Tuesday, Saturday-Tuesday, and we obviously had the emotion of scoring in the last minute against Liverpool. That was 120 minutes of football which went to the wire and Norwich was an important game for us.
"We knew it was going to be tough, because they are fighting for points, but the way we came back and the belief we've got as a squad shone through. The subs we made had a huge impact and I thought we deserved a point in the end."
Victor Moses is a real impact player for you isn't he?
MN: "That's Victor. He's got that in him. When he and Andy Carroll came on they had that impact and he could have scored two goals himself. He was fantastic, he set up the first one with a great run and set up some vital chances for us.
"That's what we've got as a squad now, we've got the players to do that. The manager has players at his disposal to turn it around and as soon as they scored the second we really took the game to them."
Most people might have thought, 'they played 120 minutes on Tuesday, they're 2-0 down - they won't get back into it'...
MN: "We were 2-0 down, one a fantastic strike from Robbie Brady, but in the end we probably should have won it. The character and belief we have in the squad is fantastic."
You scored the equaliser - one of the best of your career?
MN: "Yes, probably. I was playing holding midfield at the time, but I saw the ball go forward and I saw Dimi on it. I know he's going to look for a pass, so I made the run, he rolled it across to the edge of the box and I just stuck it away. It was fantastic and gave us the foot up to go on and try to win the game."
After a week like this do you feel there's a bandwagon rolling for West Ham?
MN: "I hope so. There's the FA Cup game against Blackburn on Sunday, we've had a few days to rest after the couple of weeks we've had, and our league position allows us to go into the Cup game and give everything. It would be a fantastic thing for the Club to have a run in the FA Cup in the last season at Upton Park."